Latch for doors of mine-cars



C. E. KELLEY AND G. D. SPEICHER.

LATCH FOR DOORS 0F MINE CARS.

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C. E. KELLEY AND: G. D.. SPEICHER. LATCH FOR nooRs 0F MINE cAHs.

. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 17.. 1919. 1 ,$53,760. PatentedSept. 21, 1920.

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CARLES E. KELLEY AND GUSTAV E *Aren n. srnicnnn, or sYLvANIA.

LARKSVILLE BOROUGH, PENN- LATcHron D'oons oF MINE-Cans.

` Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. ai, 1920.

Application tiled Eecember 17, 1919. Serial No. 345,607.

To @ZZ w kom t may concern Be it known that we, CHARLES E. KnLLnY and GUs'rAvn' D. SPEICHER, citizens ofthe United States, residing at borough of Larksville, in the county of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latehes for Doors of Mine-Cars; and we do hereby declare the following'to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to mine cars and particularly to latches for doors for mine cars.

An object of this invention is to provide a latch for the door for a mine car which will admit of the flexibility of the door in accommodating the latch to the warped condition of the car or door. In the latches for car doors now in use they serve the purpose fairly well until the door or car becomes warped, as it usually or always does long before it is retired from service. When the door or ear warps, then the latch is no longer secure. It has been found by experi ence that in small collieries as many as forty cars per day came to the tipper with the latches open, and since it is a current practice to mount the gate or tail board of a mine car on a hinge at the top and admit of its swinging outward from the bottom, a great deal of coa-l is spilled along the tracks when the latch is open, so that in one section of a single mine it is not infrequent to lose as much as three thousand cars of coal, each usually of two and one half tons being found strewn along the tracks in a single year. This coal is of course not lost but must be gathered up by the track cleaners entailing a great deal of labor which will be saved by an effective latch. I

It is an object of this invention to provide a latch that will overcome this ditiiculty. A further object of this invention is to provide a latch that may be opened by a downward stroke which is convenient forl use at the dumps or on self dumping cages.

A* further object of this invention is to provide a latch of such construction as to allow more room between the cars and one that does not project on either side of the car thus providing for the safety of the transportation men and passing of the cars. A further object of this invention is to member 7 reduce, the cost of manufacture of'a mine car door latch and otherwise simplify its construction. .y y With these and other objects in'view the invention consists of the construction, the combination, the detail, and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings: y v l Figure l is an exterior perspective ofV a coal car door.

Fig. 2 is an interior perspective of an empty car provided with this latch.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sec?.

tion partly in elevation of a ear provided 'with this latch.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary Vend view of a car provided with this latch.

In the embodiment of this inventionwe Y provide a chain 2 fixed to a staple 3 or other 'suitable means Aof aiiiXing it to the side of a car near the end and slightly above the floor level, and on thedoor 4, which is hinged at 5, we mount pivotally a U latch at 6, which pivotal mount is provided by a bolt 8 through the door and a bracket 9, which bracket is aiixed to the hinge strap l0 and which hinge strap 10 is perforated to form a hasp as is also the door registering with said perforation .in said strap. The end link kof the chain 2 becomes in the nature of a staple'so that the perforation in the strap 10 together with the said link forms a hasp and staple structure through which staple,when inserted through said hasp, passes the latch 7 which has ya taper from its point ll that on the driving in of the latch 7 it tightens the chain 2. Thus in locking the door all that is necessary is to pull the end of the chain 2 through the hasp and insert the point of latch 11 therein and then strike the anvil surface 12 of the latch 7 with an upward stroke of a hammer and the door can be closed even against resistance. Normally, however, there is no resistance Vto the insertion of the latch but it will be obvious provided with this latch onthe car n that when the -car is loaded with coal ythat the pressure of the coal `will l.

v by its weight hold the door in a closed relawarping of the cars the closed. When it is blow with a hammer and the latch is released.

Claims:

l. A latch for a door comprising a chain affixed at one end, said door having a perforation therein to form with one end of the chain a hasp and Staple, a latch on the outside of the door for engaging said staple link, said latch being of U-Shape and having v one of its arms pivoted above the perforation and provided with .an anvil surface and said latch being provided with a conical point for engagement with the staple link.

2. A latch 'for a car door comprising a chain affixed to the inside of the car, said door having a perforation therein to form with one end of said chain a hasp and staple, a bracket secured to the onteide of the door above the perforation, a latch pivotally mounted between Said bracket and the door for engaging said staple link, said latch being of U- haped formation and having one of its arms pivotally supported between the bracket and the car door and also provided with an anvil Surface adjacent the bracket, a conical point formed upon the other arm of said latch, whereby to provide for ready engagement with the Staple link.

ln testimony whereof we .afliX our signatures.

CHARLES E. KELLEY, GUSTAVE D. SPEICHER. 

